No Regrets!

Another easy drive, this one down the N18 to Ennis. We found our B&B just outside of town. We checked in, chatted with proprietor Anne, and then asked her where we should go for dinner and music. She recommended Brogan’s, a pub in Ennis that was sure to have live music.

We drove into town, found a great parking spot (seems my parking skillz are international), and ordered a steak dinner. Stef had seafood chowder for the eighth time in a row. Despite complaints from her stomach, she loves it and has ordered it every chance she gets.

We shuffled to the back of the bar to listen to the music. Stef ran into a group of people from New Jersey and wasn’t terribly happy about it. I started chatting with the Irish guy sitting next to me, a truck driver named Kevin. He lives in Amsterdam but was back home for the weekend. The conversation became livelier when Kevin’s friend Pete (pronounced “Pet” in his thick, Northern Irish accent) joined us.

The drinks were flowing. I introduced Kevin and Pete to the SoCo and lime shot, and Pete danced with Stef. We stayed until the bar closed, laughing, singing, and dancing.

Good times. A fantastic ending to a fantastic trip.

We got a few hours sleep before dropping off the car at the airport. We traveled a total of 1033 km (642 miles) in the car, and I only filled up the car one and a half times. I’m not sure if it’s the less stringent emissions requirements or a different grade of fuel in Ireland, but 40 mpg is pretty damn good.

Sadly, airport security took Stef’s two cans of beans in tomato sauce (a staple of the Irish breakfast) as we went through the metal detectors. We got a few last minute snacks and boarded the plane.

Our last glimpse of Ireland was of the grassy fields and wetlands surrounding Shannon Airport. It wasn’t long before white clouds obscured our view, turning our six-day Ireland vacation into a memory.

We’re back over the Atlantic, heading the other way. This Continental Airlines crew is grumpy and impatient. They are definitely not Irish.